In Senegal, Barthélémy Dias, the current mayor of Dakar, saw his sentence to two years in prison, including six months suspended, confirmed by the Supreme Court on Friday, December 22 in the early afternoon. He was tried after the death of a man, Ndiaga Diouf, shot dead in 2011 in front of the town hall of Mermoz-Sacré Cœur of which he was mayor at the time. A sentence that he has already served in pre-trial detention, but which confirmed risks causing him to lose his position as deputy.
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With our correspondent in Dakar, Théa Ollivier
Twelve years to the day after the events, the President of the Supreme Court rejected Barthélémy Dias’ cassation appeal, and therefore confirms his sentence of two years in prison, including six months.
Satisfaction for Me Pape Mor Niang, lawyer for the civil parties: “ Justice has been served. We hope that Ndiaga Diouf will rest in his grave in peace. At times, you have to accept not your defeat, but recognize the facts as they happened.. »
The Supreme Court’s decision has no impact on the mayoral mandate of Barthélémy Dias. But it could cause him to lose his position as deputy. His lawyer, Me Ciré Clédor Ly, still has hope: “ Well, the procedure is not yet complete, but we also have the stop flap procedure and that we can actually initiate. So, this is just one step on the journey. “.
Barthélémy Dias, as announced, was not present during the hearing. But the judgment was closely followed by his political advisor, Thierno Ndiaye: “ Each time, we have asked ourselves whether there is a political underpinning to the issue. Each time, on the eve of the elections, the trial was stirred up. And today, we’re talking about it. In any case, we take full note of the pronouncement of this verdict. »
In view of the presidential election of February 2024, Barthélémy Dias gave his sponsorship as a deputy to candidate Khalifa Sall of whom he is a loyal supporter.
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